Introducing Chappelli's Nuvinci Pistola

If your riding is less about speed and competition, and more about commuting or just enjoying the pleasure of a spin, then Chappelli Cycles should be on your radar.

Pablo Chappelli and Tom Davies have been manufacturing and selling Chappelli bikes since 2009. Their focus is on style – Chappelli bikes are for people who appreciate classically styled urban bikes that are high on design but low on relative cost.

The new Chappelli Nuvinci Pistola is no exception. Now, I am a sucker for chrome and this bike delivers ten-fold with a chrome finished rear triangle and a chrome fork. At the risk of sounding like a cliché, I’d call the frame a polished gun-metal grey. But what I really love about the bike’s design is that it’s just so hipster understated and sleek, and that’s largely thanks to the NuVinci geared hub and simplicity of the light-weight CrMo frame. The look is completed with genuine leather grips and saddle that come, of course, with a heart-and-cross design motif. A classy touch that honestly makes this bike look a heck of a lot more expensive than the $995 they retail it for.

Was I surprised to hear this bike is cheaper version of the Chappelli NuVinci Custom that won an Australian International Design Award? Nope – even a quick glance and you’ll see there’s something pretty swish about the Chappelli Nuvinci range. The major difference between the two is the NuVinci Custom has a gorgeous handmade, lugged Colombus Steel frame that is hand painted to order. Otherwise the components on the two bikes are the same.

But what about the cycling? Firstly, the fun comes changing gears – it’s a little like moving frequency on an old-school radio. Adjust the grip shifter and watch as a little cycling icon moves either over an incline, or along a flat. I hands down love this quirky feature. Gear changing is smooth and actually you can gather quite a bit of speed on this, so don’t be fooled. You’ll be café-hopping at quite a pace on this baby.

When it comes to Chappelli in general, all bikes are made with quality components including Tektro brakes, VP headsets and bottom brackets and Wellgo chrome-alloy pedals. And the warranty? 10 years on the frame and one year on parts. There’s also a 30-day-no-questions-asked-free-return on all bikes, but we’re pretty confident you won’t be needing that!

Get on your bike, get down to your local barista, order that double macchiato and sit back to soak up the style that is your oh-so-cool-brand-new-Chappelli. They are available online at www.Chappelli.com or at their warehouse outlets in Melbourne and Sydney and their soon to open Brisbane shop.